Stacking machine



H. PyDolRoN E'r A1. i

STACKING MACHINE July-23,' 1929. I

Filed April 20, 1928 3 Slneets-Sheec.y l

VJuly 23, v1929'. H. P. DOIRON Er AL' STACKING MACHINE Filed April 2o.1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 5mm/Mio@ s July' 23, Y19:29.

H. P. DOIRON El' AL STACKINCr MACHINE Filed -April 20. 1.928

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 23, 1929..

HOUSTON I. DOIRON ANI) LEON D. TITUS,

0F :PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, ASSIGNORS T0 THE TEXAS COMPANY, 0F YORK, N. YL,A CORPORATION- OF DELAWARE.

STACKING MACHINE.

Application filed April` 20,

This invention relates to stackers and more particularly to machines forautomatically staggering and stacking relatively flat members to preventtheir nesting. l The invention is particularly applicable to, and forthe purpose of illustration will be described as applied to, machinesfor stacking top and bottom can ends, which are formed and stamped in apress. Prior to our invention can ends, whether flat or formed withflanges, have had a decided tendency to nest together when stacked, soas to make their subsequent separa tion for assembly with the body ofthe can somewhat diiiicult to accomplish and a time wasting process. Bythe use of the present invention can ends coming from a press arealternately tipped, first to one side and then to the other, so that asthey accumulate in a stack the alternate ends are positioned in such amanner that they can be easily separated for further handling.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that one of the objects of ourinvention is to provide a machine for stacking relatively flat membersso that they will notnest together.

Another more-specific object of lour invention is to provide a machinefor stackingcan all ends as they come from a press or the like.

A still further object of our inventionis to provide means forstaggering the position of l the separate can ends in each stack ysothat they may be easily separated;

These and other objects, features, and advantages of our invention willbe setforth in the following detailed description thereof.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated a preferred form ofourinvention in which:

Fig.v1 is a view in side elevation of a stacking apparatus embodying ourinvention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a view infront elevation of the same apparatus, and f p Fig. 4is a view in 'vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

By reference to the drawings it will be seen that the machine isprovided with a driving or cam shaft '10 which carries at one end a fsprocket wheel 11 through which motive power is applied to the machinefrom any suitable source. For illustrative purposes we shall assume thatthe machine is beingused in connection with an end stamping machine orpress from `which the can ends are fed onel ata time to a sharplyinclined guide chute in- 1928, Serial No. 271,496.

dicated generally reference character 13.v

Can endsgravitating through chute 13 come to rest with an edge supportedon a plate or plunger 14. This plate is mounted for longitudinal andreciprocatingmovementl so` that it can be intermittently moved intoposition to support the individual can ends as they come from the press,and then with-- drawn to permit the end to drop, for reasons presentlyto be set forth in detail. Y The longitudinal and reciprocating movementof plate or plunger 14 is produced by' connected to a link 2O which inturn is pivot- 'Y ally connected to a shaft 21, on the opposite end ofwhich plate 14 is rigidly secured.

Cam 15 is so designed that for every com-c plete revolution of shaft 10the plate 14 will make two complete trips backward andforward. v Inorder to insure that the roller 16 is always-in operative contact withcam 15a coil spring 22 is Amounted onshaft 17 between a collar 23 andlone ofithe machine supports n is,

24. The spring is ymaintained under com- 'pression which is increased asshaft 17 is moved to the right, as viewed ill-Figures 1 and' 4. l

Asrstated above, can ends are fed to the machine one at a` time throughguide chute 13 until oneedge rests on the top of plate 14. As the platemoves from under the end the latter is free to drop. until it strikesagainst one or the other of two parallellydisposed pivotally mountedtipper or rocker arms 25 and 26. One of these arms is pivotal- 9 lymounted at each side of' plate 14, and the two arms are alternatelyrocked intooperative position by means of a cam 27 mounted on shaft 10.The cam actuates the arms Vturn together. The otherarm of lever 33 iswhich connects with another lever 36 mounted on the same shaft 37 as theother arm 25.

Arms 25 and 26 are so positioned with respect to each other that whenone of them is in position to lcontact with an edge of a falling can endto tip the end to one side, the other arm is entirely clear of the canend and has no etlect upon it. By means of cam 27 and the connectingmechanism just described, the arms are alternately moved into operativeposition sothat can ends falling successively are alternately tippedlirstvto one side and then to the other. The ends iinally come to restbetween two of a group of three supports 38, 39 and-40, collectivelyforming a rack depending upon the direction in which the particular endshave been tipped by the arms. The can ends rest between the supportswith their edges and corners in staggered relation. It is apparent thateach can end as it drops onto the supports must be moved out of the wayto provide suliicient clearance for the next end to fall. This isaccomplished by the plate 14, which at this step operates as a plunger,on its return stroke. The plate contacts with the rear face of the endthat has last dropped'and pushes it and those in front of it slightlyforward on the rack formed by Vthe supports 38, 39 and 40'.

At this stagetwo opposed hooked members or end holders 41A and 42 swingtogether so that the hooked endportions slip behind the end of the stackof can ends to hold them in position after the pressure momentarilyexerted byV plate 14 is released. Hooked member 41 is securedl on avertically disposed rotatable shaft 43 on one side of the machine i andthe other hooked member 42 lis similarly mounted on a rotatable shaft4-on the opposite side of the machine.

The two shafts 43 and 44 rotate in opposite directions and theirmovement is effected by means of a cam 45 which is mounted on shaft 10.The cam actuates a follower V46 mounted on alever 47 which is secured atone end on shaft v43 so that the shaft is rotated in'response to themovement of cam 45. The two shafts 43 and 44 are connected so as tooperate simultaneously but in opposite directions by means and 50.

In' operation can ends are fedv successively through chute 13 and eachend in turn is brought to rest on the upper edge of plate 14. The plate,which is actuatedby cam 15, then moves from under the end (to the rightas viewed in Figure 4.) thereby' allowing the end to drop until it comesin Contact with one or the other of arms 25 and 26, rdepending uponwhich arm is at the moment in operative position. This contact with oneof the arms tips the end to oneside and it comes to rest in the rackwhich consists of the horizontal supportsBS, 39 and 40. Arms 25 and 26are f of pivotallyconnected links 48, 49V

vactuated by cam 27 and are alternately moved into operative position sothat succeeding `can ends are alternately tipped or staggered.

As each can end comes to rest in its tipped position in the rack, plate14 advances in order to receive the next succeeding end from the chute.While so advancing (moving to the left as viewed in Figure 4) the plateacts a plunger and, contacting with the face Vof the end which has lastcome to rest, pushes thatend and those in front of it a sufficientdistance to insure clearance for the next end to drop.

TNhen the plate has reached the extreme limit of its forward movement ithas pushed the staggered ends out of the way and is in position toreceive the next end to come from the chute.

At this stage in the cycle of operation arms 41 and 42 are swung intooperative position by reason of the action of cam 45 so that the hookedend portions of the arms move 'in behind the end of the stack of ends soas to hold them in position when the pressure exerted 'tion lhas beenillustrated and described for the purpose of showing a way in which thisinvention may be practiced, but the inventive thought upon which thisapplication is based is broader than this illustrative embodiment. It istherefore understood that the scope of the invention is not to belimited by the present disclosure, reference being had to the appendedclaims for that purpose.

Whatwe claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described,opposed means adapted toalternately move into position to engage successively dropping flatmembers to change the relative positionsv of alternate ones, and cam'controlled means for actuatingthe engaging means. 1

2. In a lmachine of the class described, spaced parallelly disposedmeans adapted to alternately move into position to engage successivelydropping fiat membersto change the relative positions of alternate ones,and means .for controlling the movement of the engaging means.

3. In a machine of the class described, means for momentarily supportinga relatively fiat member, means for withdrawing the supporting means topermit the flat member to drop, means adapted to engage alternatedropping Hat members to cause them to tip to one side or the other, andmeans for arresting the movement of the fiat members and for maintainingthem in their tipped positions.

4. The combination with means for feeding can ends to a stacker insuccession and at regular intervals, of means `for tipping alternateends in opposite directions to produce a staggered stack, means formoving the stacked ends to provide clearance 'for succeeding ends, andmeans for holding the stacked ends in staggered position.

5. In a machine for stacking can ends, a guide through which the endsare fed to the machine, opposed means adapted to stagger the positionsof alternate ends after they leave the chute, and means for controllingthe movement of the ends Yfrom the chute to the staggering means.

6. In a machine for stacking can ends, a guide through which the endsare fed to the machine, means for staggering'the positions of alternateends after they leave the chute,

means for controlling the movement of the ends from the chute to thestaggering means and for moving staggered ends to provide clearance forsucceeding ends, and means for retaining the stacked ends in position.

7. In a machine for stacking can` ends, a

guide through Which ends are fed to the machine, oppositely disposedrocker arms severally adapted to engage alternate ends t0 tip them inopposite directions, means for maintaining the oppositely tipped ends inthe staggered positions, and means for intermittently moving thestaggered ends to provide clearance for the ones to follow.

8. In a machine for stacking can ends, an inclined chute through whichthe ends are fed to the machine, means ior'momentarily arresting themovement of each end as it comes from the chute, cam controlled meansfor withdrawing the arresting means to permit the end to drop,oppositely disposed and cam controlled rocker arms severally adapted toengage alternate can ends as they drop to tip them in oppositedirections, a rack for maintaining the ends in the staggered positions,cam controlled means for intermittently engagaing the rear end of thestack of ends to prevent the stack Jfrom separating, and a power drivencam shaft for actuating the several cam controlled means. l g

In witness whereof We have hereunto set our hands and seals this 9th dayof April, 1928.

HousroN P. nomoN. LEON n. Tiros.

